New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said strong ties with Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka reflect India's foreign policy priorities of engaging closely with countries in the strategically important Indian Ocean region as he embarked on a five-day trip to the three island nations.
This will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1981 to Seychelles, located 3,800 km from India, and the first since 1981 to Sri Lanka, separated from India by a narrow strip of sea.
"I am keenly looking forward to my tour... March 10-14," Modi said in his departure statement.
"We have a strong, multifaceted and important relationship with each (country) and they all occupy a very important place in our foreign policy.
"My visit to the three Indian Ocean Island countries reflects our foreign policy priorities in India's immediate and extended neighbourhood.
"India attaches paramount importance to strengthening relations with this region, which is vital for India's security and progress," he said.
In the Seychelles, his first stop, Modi will get a unique Gujarati-style welcome from the Gujarati NRIs in that country.
Modi said: "India's relationship with Seychelles has been built on the foundation of mutual trust and shared values.
"I am keenly looking forward to my meeting with President James Michel, a great friend of India."
On March 11-12, Modi will be in Mauritius, where he will be the chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations on March 12. He will also speak at the national assembly of Mauritius.
"I will be participating in the joint commissioning of India-built Offshore Patrol Vessel Barracuda, and in the beginning of construction work for the building of World Hindi Secretariat."
On the last leg, Modi will be in Sri Lanka on March 13 and 14 when he will hold talks with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose government took office in January.
"My visit to Sri Lanka will be the first standalone prime ministerial visit to Sri Lanka since 1987," the year India and Sri Lanka signed a pact to end Tamil separatism. Indian troops then took on the Tamil Tigers.
After being quietly supportive of Sri Lanka's efforts to militarily crush the Tamil Tigers, who were vanquished in 2009, India-Sri Lanka relations went into a spin after then president Mahinda Rajapaksa began building up multi-faceted ties with Pakistan and China.
In an oblique reference to India, Rajapaksa alleged an international conspiracy after he was defeated in the January presidential election that brought Sirisena to power.
Modi pointed out that his meeting with Sirisena would be their second summit in a month. President Sirisena came to India last month, making New Delhi his first foreign destination after taking office.
Gujarat's 3.10 lakh crore budget: Most allocated to education, health, and social sectors, special focus on tourism as well
The budget session of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly started on Thursday. At the same time, today Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai presented the state budget. The budget size for 2023-24 has
Virat Kohli: Kohli repeated the same mistake at the Oval even after five years, then got out on 49; Gavaskar strongly criticized
The Indian team has lost in the final of the ICC World Test Championship. Australia defeated him by 209 runs in the match played at England's Oval Ground. Team India's hopes were on Virat Kohli and
New START Treaty: Putin suspends START nuclear deal with US, apprehensions about war increased
Warning to Western countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the termination of the New Start Treaty with the US regarding nuclear weapons. In this agreement, transparency was to be
Now you too can get an oxygen concentrator for your use from abroad, the center has given permission
The second wave of Corona has seen a tremendous increase in the demand for oxygen in the country. Many patients lost their lives due to a lack of oxygen. Meanwhile, the Government has amended the
Gyanvapi Case: 355-year-old dispute on the way to solution through survey report; Litigation going on in the court for 33 years
The survey report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) may end the 355-year-long dispute over Gyanvapi. This dispute has been going on since 1669. The case has been pending in the court for 33
Forced marriage with Sikh woman after kidnapping in Pakistan, Jaishankar takes cognizance
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the Indian government has taken up the incident of alleged abduction and forced conversion of a female Sikh teacher in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
UP Board Result 2022: UP Board XII result will be released soon, know how to download
UP Board Result 2022: The result of the 12th class board examination conducted in the state by the Board of Secondary Education, Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) can now be announced anytime. Now the eagerness
1 Thousand 716 Cases In 29 States: 43 In Andhra And 23 New Cases In Maharashtra, Doctor Positive Of Government Hospital In Delhi
new Delhi. The number of coronavirus infections has increased to 1 thousand 716. On Wednesday, 20 new cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh, 20 in Madhya Pradesh and 23 in Maharashtra. Corona
Saif Ali Khan Attack: New twist in Saif Ali Khan attack case, accused in 14 days judicial custody
A court here on Wednesday refused to send Bangladeshi national Mohammad Shariful Islam, arrested for allegedly attacking Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife, to police custody and sent him to
Farmer Protest: 'Why are new demands being put forward again and again', Anurag Thakur said on farmers' protest
To stop the march of farmers to Delhi, the issue of guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) of crops got stuck in the marathon meeting between the central government and farmer leaders. All the
